November 1, 2018 – The Parmenter Foundation proudly announces that during Mental Health Awareness Week, it granted $25,000 to Advocates in Framingham, MA to support the Behavioral Health Partners MetroWest Referral Line. The Referral Line is a collaborative partnership created by Advocates, South Middlesex Opportunity Council, Spectrum, and Wayside Youth and Family Support Network that has created a single point of access for behavioral health and social services in the Metrowest area. “As one of four agency partners in Behavioral Health Partners of MetroWest, Advocates is grateful for this significant investment by the Parmenter Foundation,” says Diane Gould, LICSW, president and CEO of Advocates. “Emotional health is an essential ingredient in overall health, and BHPMW offers a single front door to a full range of services for individuals and families, reducing the stress people often face in finding the help they really need.”

The Referral Line started receiving calls on its toll-free phone number in July 2017 and has responded to more than 800 calls to date for individuals and families in need of services. The goal of the referral line is to provide Metrowest residents, healthcare professionals, and other service providers streamlined access to expertise in the complex areas of mental health, substance use and addiction, housing and social supports for people of all ages. “The support of the Parmenter Foundation represents people in local communities helping BHPMW and the Referral Line to listen to the diverse needs of individuals and families and match them to the care they need,” says Anne Pelletier-Parke, LICSW, ACSW, executive director of Behavioral Health Partners of MetroWest (BHPMW). “We are grateful to The Parmenter Foundation for having the foresight to support the integration of behavioral health options for residents in Wayland and other Metrowest communities.” For assistance or more information, please contact BHPMW toll-free at 1-844-528-6800 or go to www.bhpmw.info.

“We were thrilled to be able to help bring the referral line to the Metrowest community with a previous grant,” says Michael Halloran, Executive Director of The Parmenter Foundation, “and the numbers of people served by this important initiative warrant our continued support.” The Parmenter Foundation is an independent non-profit corporation dedicated to creating, supporting, implementing and promoting programs and activities that enhance the health and well-being of the Metrowest communities. The Parmenter Foundation relies solely on private funding to carry out its mission. For more information or to give, please visit www.parmenterfoundation.org.